The city council of A Coruña has approved a proposal to rename rúa Alcalde Sanjurjo de Carricarte to rúa dos Diplomáticos de Monte Alto. This decision recognises the cultural significance of one of Galicia's most representative musical groups, closely associated with the Monte Alto neighbourhood.
The proposal, which has been passed by the Commission of Honours and Distinctions, will be presented to the full council for further processing. Gonzalo Castro, the councillor for Culture and Tourism, presides over the commission.
An official report from the municipal government highlights that Os Diplomáticos de Monte Alto were pivotal in the bravú movement, significantly modernising Galician music and promoting the use of the Galician language while fostering a contemporary, inclusive cultural identity.
A Coruña's mayor, Inés Rey, emphasised the importance of this initiative in updating the city's street names. "The streets of our city also convey values and collective memory. Therefore, we believe it is necessary to replace names associated with Francoism and dictatorship with those that represent democratic principles and the cultural diversity of modern A Coruña," she stated.
Rey further noted that the municipal government aims to incorporate public space references that reflect the collective identity of the city. "Os Diplomáticos de Monte Alto embody talent, creativity, and a commitment to the Galician language and culture. Their influence extends beyond music and is part of the cultural memory of several generations of A Coruña residents. It is only fair that the city acknowledges this legacy with a permanent recognition in its street names," she added.
Founded in A Coruña in the late 1980s around the figure of Xurxo Souto, Os Diplomáticos de Monte Alto became an unprecedented cultural phenomenon in contemporary Galician music. As leading figures of the bravú movement, they blended rock, ska, folk, and popular rhythms while staunchly defending the Galician language and identity, bringing their music and imagery from Monte Alto throughout Galicia. Albums such as 'Arroutada pangalaica' and 'Parrús' defined a generation and paved new paths for music in Galician, establishing the band as a cultural reference that continues to influence artists and musical projects of subsequent generations.
